Fastener provided with guide ring and beneficial to thrust reduction

Abstract

A fastener with a guide ring that facilitates thrust reduction includes an anchor. The anchoring part comprises an elastic spindle body and a guide ring. The elastic spindle body comprises a connecting plate and an elastic part, and the part, connected with the connecting plate, of the elastic part forms a hard connecting angle. And an arc transition surface is arranged at the maximum circumcircle diameter of the elastic spindle body. The arc transition surface comprises two arc-shaped sections and an abutting contact section arranged between the two arc-shaped sections. And when the guide ring is inserted into the mounting hole, the guide ring deflects to enable the accommodating part to avoid the hard connecting angle. The fastener is favorable for prolonging the service life of the guide ring. And meanwhile, only the elastic spindle body deforms, and the guide ring does not need to deform, so that the thrust of pushing the anchoring part into the mounting hole can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fastener technology, and in particular to a fastener with a guide ring that helps reduce thrust. Background Technology

[0002] In automobile manufacturing, a wide variety of fasteners are used. These fasteners are used to connect or clamp two or more components together, such as clamping and fixing air curtains or airbags to the vehicle frame, and different components or different locations require different fasteners.

[0003] As people's living standards continue to improve, cars have gradually become a daily means of transportation, resulting in a huge annual production volume of automobiles and an even greater quantity of fasteners used. The quality of these fasteners is crucial, as loosening during long-term use can cause abnormal noises in a car. If they fall off, it's even more unacceptable, as this could lead to accidents. Therefore, durability, tightness of connection, and water resistance are essential considerations in fastener design. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides a fastener with a guide ring that can solve the above problems and is beneficial for reducing thrust.

[0005] A guide ring fastener for connecting a first mounted component and a second mounted component, the second mounted component having a mounting hole, is disclosed. The guide ring fastener includes an anchoring portion. The anchoring portion includes an elastic spindle body, a through groove on the elastic spindle body, and a guide ring on the through groove. The diameter of the largest circumscribed circle of the elastic spindle body is larger than the diameter of the mounting hole. The elastic spindle body includes a connecting plate and two elastic portions respectively disposed on both sides of the connecting plate, the portion of the elastic portion connecting to the connecting plate forming a hard connection angle. An arc transition surface is provided at the largest circumscribed circle diameter of the elastic spindle body. The arc transition surface includes two arc segments and a contact segment between the two arc segments. The arc segments and the contact segment smoothly and linearly transition into an arc with the same curvature. The guide ring includes a ring body fitted onto the elastic spindle body and two connecting rods respectively connected between the inner wall of the ring body and the through groove. The ring body is provided with two clearance holes. Both clearance holes are elliptical, meaning that when the two clearance holes are combined, they form an ellipse. The two clearance holes are offset along the major axis of the ellipse. Each of the two clearance holes has a receiving portion corresponding to the hard connection angle. When the guide ring is inserted into the mounting hole, the abutting contact section is pushed inward by the second mounted component, causing the arc-shaped segment at its free end connected to the abutting contact section to warp up. Simultaneously, the abutting contact section on the arc transition surface abuts against the inner wall of the clearance hole, causing the guide ring to deflect and one end of the clearance hole to deflect so that the receiving portion avoids the hard connection angle.

[0006] Furthermore, the elastic spindle body includes an axially distributed connecting plate, two elastic portions respectively disposed on both sides of the connecting plate, and two skirt portions respectively disposed at the ends of the elastic portions.

[0007] Furthermore, the fastener with a guide ring that helps reduce thrust also includes a sealing portion connected to the anchoring portion, the sealing portion including a disc, one end of the skirt being connected to the elastic portion, and the other end being fixedly connected to the disc.

[0008] Furthermore, the arc transition surface is disposed at the connection between the elastic part and the skirt part, and the connection between the elastic part and the skirt part is at the maximum outer diameter of the elastic spindle body.

[0009] Furthermore, the connecting rod is spaced apart from the sidewall of the through groove so that the ring can deflect radially.

[0010] Furthermore, the fastener also includes a snap-fit ​​portion, which includes a snap-fit ​​disc spaced apart from one side of the disc, and a connecting rod connecting the snap-fit ​​disc and the sealing portion.

[0011] Furthermore, the intersections of the major and minor axes of the two clearance holes are located on the major axis of the ellipse and are spaced apart.

[0012] Furthermore, in the free state, the diameter of the largest circumscribed circle formed by the free ends of the two elastic parts is greater than the diameter of the mounting hole.

[0013] Furthermore, in the free state, the diameter of the largest circumscribed circle formed by the free ends of the two elastic parts is greater than the minor axis of the ellipse formed by the clearance hole, and smaller than the major axis of the ellipse.

[0014] Furthermore, the through groove is provided on the side of the connecting plate.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, the fastener provided by the present invention, by setting the guide ring on the anchoring part and by setting the structure of the maximum outer circle of the elastic spindle body of the anchoring part and the structure of the guide ring, allows the anchoring part to be inserted into the mounting hole of the first or second mounted part without deformation of the guide ring. This improves the life of the guide ring and reduces the thrust required to push the anchoring part into the mounting hole. Specifically, an arc transition surface is provided at the maximum outer circle of the elastic spindle body, i.e., at the connection between the elastic part and the skirt. In a cross-section perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the snap-fit ​​part and the anchoring part, the arc transition surface includes two arc segments and abutting contact segment disposed between the two arc segments. The guide ring has two offset clearance holes. When the anchoring part is inserted into the mounting hole, the abutting contact section is compressed, and simultaneously, the abutting contact section abuts against the inner wall of the guide ring body, causing it to deflect. This causes one end of the clearance hole to deflect, allowing the receiving part to avoid the hard connection angle. Consequently, the guide ring only deflects without deformation, thus improving its lifespan. Furthermore, since only the elastic spindle body deforms, the guide ring does not need to deform, reducing the thrust required to push the anchoring part into the mounting hole. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a fastener with a guide ring that is beneficial for reducing thrust, as provided by the present invention.

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of another angle of a fastener with a guide ring that helps reduce thrust.

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of a fastener with a guide ring that helps reduce thrust.

[0019] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A bottom view of the anchoring portion of a fastener with a guide ring that helps reduce thrust.

[0020] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A front view of the guide ring of a fastener with a guide ring that helps reduce thrust. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The following provides a more detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the description of the embodiments of the present invention herein is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0022] like Figures 1 to 5 The diagram shows a structural schematic of a guide ring-equipped fastener that helps reduce thrust, as provided by the present invention. The guide ring-equipped fastener includes a sealing portion 10, a snap-fit ​​portion 20 disposed on one side of the sealing portion 10, and an anchoring portion 30 disposed on the other side of the sealing portion 10. It is conceivable that the fastener may also include other functional modules, such as sealing oil, connecting accessories, etc., which are techniques well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0023] It should be noted that the fastener is used to connect two mounted parts, which are referred to as the first mounted part and the second mounted part for distinction. In the automotive field, for example, both the first and second mounted parts can be sheet metal parts, and each has at least one mounting hole and one mounting slot. The fastener is inserted into the mounting hole and the mounting slot respectively to connect the first and second mounted parts. Furthermore, the first mounted part can be a sheet metal part, and the second mounted part can be an interior trim part or a dashboard component, etc. For ease of explanation, in this embodiment, the second mounted part is provided with a mounting hole.

[0024] The sealing part 10 includes a disc 11, an annular flange 12 disposed on the side of the disc 11, and a sealing ring 13 disposed on the annular flange 12. The disc 11 is used to abut against the second mounted component to clamp the second mounted component between the disc 11 and the anchoring part 30, thereby connecting the second mounted component. The annular flange 12 extends outward and toward the anchoring part 30, that is, the angle between the extension direction of the flange 12 and the axial direction of the disc 11 is acute. Its function will be explained below in conjunction with the sealing ring 13. The sealing ring 13 is fitted onto the flange 12. The sealing ring 13 can be made of an elastic material such as rubber, so that the sealing ring 13 can abut against the second mounted component. When the fastener is inserted into the mounting hole of the second mounted component, the sealing ring 13 can isolate the gap between the disc 11 and the mounting hole, thereby preventing external moisture and other substances from entering the interior of the vehicle through the mounting hole. The annular flange 12 extends outward and protrudes toward the second mounted component, ensuring that only the annular flange 12 contacts the second mounted component after installation, while the disc 11 does not directly contact it. This ensures a tight seal by ensuring the contact surface of the flange 12 is flat, and the deformation of the flange 12 further tightens it against the second mounted component. The sealing ring 13 is located on the contact surface between the flange 12 and the second mounted component, further enhancing the sealing of the mounting hole. The rubber sealing ring 13 can also conform to surfaces of different materials for optimal sealing. The angle between the extending direction of the sealing ring 13 and the axial direction of the disc 11 is also acute. Therefore, after the anchoring part 30 is inserted into the second mounted component, the sealing ring 13 will open outward, generating a retraction force. This retraction force further increases the anchoring force between the fastener and the first mounted component, preventing loosening and minimizing abnormal noise. Meanwhile, since the sealing ring 13 opens outward, the contact surface between the sealing ring 13 and the second mounting part is a surface contact rather than a line contact, which can improve the sealing effect.

[0025] The snap-fit ​​part 20 includes a snap-fit ​​plate 21 spaced apart from the disc 11, and a connecting rod 22 connecting the snap-fit ​​plate 21 and the sealing part 10. The connecting rod 22 is snapped into the mounting groove of the first mounting member. During installation, the anchoring part 20 is first inserted into the mounting hole of the second mounting member, and then the snap-fit ​​part 20 is snapped into the mounting groove of the first mounting member, thereby completing the connection of the first and second mounting members. The snap-fit ​​plate 21 and the disc 11 are located on opposite sides of the first mounted member. The surface of the snap-fit ​​plate 21 is parallel to the surface of the disc 11, so that the snap-fit ​​plate 21 is evenly stressed when installed inside the first mounted member. The central axes of the snap-fit ​​plate 21 and the disc 11 are on the same straight line, and the connecting rod 22 is located on the central axis of the snap-fit ​​plate 21, thereby providing a stable support effect when the fastener is tightened.

[0026] The anchoring part 30 includes an elastic spindle body 31 connected to the sealing part 10, a through groove 32 disposed on the elastic spindle body 31, and a guide ring 33 disposed on the elastic spindle body 31. The elastic spindle body 31 includes a connecting plate 311 axially distributed on one side of the sealing part 10, two elastic parts 312 respectively disposed on both sides of the connecting plate 311, and two skirts 313 respectively disposed at the ends of the elastic parts 312. The connecting plate 311 is connected to the disk 11, and its cross-section along the arrangement direction of the sealing part 10 and the anchoring part 30 is spindle-shaped, thereby forming a conical structure.

[0027] One side of the elastic portion 312 is connected to the connecting plate 311 and is formed by rotating around the central axis of the anchoring portion 30. That is, the elastic portion 312 extends from the connecting plate 311, and one of its two generatrices is connected to the connecting plate 311, while the other is spaced apart from the connecting plate 311. Thus, when the anchoring portion 30 is inserted into the mounting hole, the free end of the elastic portion 312 can retract. The portion of the elastic portion 312 connected to the connecting plate 311 will not deform, forming a hard connection angle 317. Because this hard connection angle 317 does not deform, when the guide ring 33 is fitted, it is necessary to avoid this hard connection angle 317 to prevent obstructing the sliding of the guide ring 33.

[0028] When inserted into the mounting hole, the two elastic portions 312 retract together, thereby forming a spindle-shaped structure with the elastic spindle body 31. It is conceivable that the two elastic portions 312 rotate in the same direction. The elastic portions 312 are spaced apart from the disk 11. In the free state, the diameter of the largest circumscribed circle formed by the free ends of the two elastic portions 312 is larger than the diameter of the mounting hole, thus allowing the first and second mounted components to be clamped between the elastic portions 312 and the snap-fit ​​portion 20. Because the diameter of the largest circumscribed circle formed by the two elastic portions 312 is larger than the diameter of the mounting hole, the elastic portion 312 must retract when the anchoring portion 30 is inserted into the mounting hole. To improve the lifespan of the guide ring 32 and reduce the thrust required to push the anchoring portion 30 into the mounting hole, the diameter of the largest circumscribed circle of the elastic portion 312 must be designed. In this embodiment, an arc transition surface 314 is provided at the diameter of the largest circumscribed circle of the elastic portion 312, that is, at the connection between the elastic portion 312 and the skirt portion 312. For example... Figure 4 As shown, in a cross-section perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the snap-fit ​​portion 20 and the anchor portion 30, the arc transition surface 314 includes two arc-shaped segments 315 and abutting contact segment 316 disposed between the two arc-shaped segments 315. The arc-shaped segments 315 and the abutting contact segment 316 smoothly and linearly transition into an arc with substantially the same curvature. The function of the arc transition surface 314, as well as the retraction principle and retraction process of the elastic portion 312, will be explained below together with the guide ring 33.

[0029] The skirt portion 313 contracts toward the central axis of the anchor portion 30 to form a groove for engaging the second mounted member between the elastic portion 312 and the sealing portion 10. The through groove 32 is formed on the connecting plate 311 and extends axially along the elastic spindle body 31, thereby allowing the guide ring 33 to slide along the through groove 32 when the fastener is inserted into the mounting hole.

[0030] The through groove 32 is used to accommodate the connecting rod 332 of the guide ring 33, which will be described below in conjunction with the connecting rod 332.

[0031] The guide ring 33 includes a ring body 331 sleeved on the elastic spindle body 31, two connecting rods 332 respectively connecting the inner wall of the ring body 331 and the bottom of the through groove 32, and two clearance holes 333 located on both sides of the connecting rods 332. The ring body 331 is sleeved on the elastic spindle body 31. When the fastener is not inserted into the mounting hole, the ring body 331 is located at the free end of the elastic spindle body 31, so that when the elastic spindle body 31 is inserted into the mounting hole, the ring body 331 will slide down towards the sealing part 10 against the second installed part. When the elastic spindle body 31 is inserted into the mounting hole, the guide ring 33 is used to ensure that the two elastic parts 312 of the elastic spindle body 31 are subjected to uniform force, so that the mounting hole is also subjected to uniform force, which can prevent the two elastic parts 312 from damaging the mounting hole. The connecting rod 332 is used to fix the position of the ring 331. Specifically, before the fastener is inserted into the mounting hole, the connecting rod 332 is connected to the bottom of the through groove 32, which facilitates transportation. When the fastener is inserted into the mounting hole, the connecting rod 332 is disengaged from the through groove 32 under external force. The connecting rod 332 is spaced apart from the sidewall of the through groove 32 to allow the ring 331 to deflect radially.

[0032] Both clearance holes 333 are elliptical, meaning they form an ellipse when joined together. The separation is due to the presence of the through groove 32 in the anchoring portion 30. These two clearance holes 333 are used to avoid the presence of the arc transition surface 314. The two clearance holes 333 are staggered along the major axis of the ellipse; that is, the intersection of the major and minor axes of the two clearance holes 333 lies on the major axis of the ellipse, but they are spaced apart. Each clearance hole 333 has a receiving portion 334 at the location corresponding to the hard connection angle 317. The function of this receiving portion 334 will be explained below.

[0033] When the guide ring 33 abuts against the largest circumcircle formed by the two elastic portions 312 at the first or second mounted member, the abutting contact section 316 of the arc transition surface 314 abuts against the inner wall of the clearance hole 333, and simultaneously retracts inward due to the abutment of the first or second mounted member. At this time, since the inner walls of the two clearance holes 333 are simultaneously abutted by the two abutting contact sections 316, and since the force directions are not in a straight line, the guide ring 33 deflects, causing one end of the clearance hole 333 to deflect, thereby allowing the receiving portion 334 to avoid the hard connection angle 317, so that the guide ring 33 only deflects without deforming. Meanwhile, during insertion, only the elastic spindle body 31 deforms under the abutment of the mounting hole of the first or second mounted component, without the guide ring 33 needing to deform. Therefore, the lifespan of the guide ring 32 can be improved and the thrust required to push the anchoring part 30 into the mounting hole can be reduced.

[0034] Compared with the prior art, the fastener provided by the present invention, by setting the guide ring 33 on the anchoring part 30, and by setting the structure of the maximum outer circle of the elastic spindle body 31 of the anchoring part 30 and the structure of the guide ring 33, allows the anchoring part 30 to be inserted into the mounting hole of the first or second mounted component without deformation of the guide ring 33. This improves the lifespan of the guide ring 32 and reduces the thrust required to push the anchoring part 30 into the mounting hole. Specifically, an arc transition surface 314 is provided at the maximum outer circle of the elastic spindle body 31, i.e., at the connection between the elastic part and the skirt part 313. In a cross-section perpendicular to the arrangement direction of the snap-fit ​​part 20 and the anchoring part 30, the arc transition surface 314 includes two arc segments 315 and abutting contact segment 316 disposed between the two arc segments 315. The guide ring 33 has two offset clearance holes 333. When the anchoring part 30 is inserted into the mounting hole, the abutting contact section 316 is compressed, and the abutting contact section 316 abuts against the inner wall of the ring body 321 of the guide ring 32, causing it to deflect. This causes one end of the clearance hole 333 to deflect, allowing the receiving part 334 to avoid the hard connection angle 317. Consequently, the guide ring 33 only deflects without deforming, which helps to improve the lifespan of the guide ring 33. At the same time, since only the elastic spindle body 31 deforms, the guide ring 33 does not need to deform, thereby reducing the thrust required to push the anchoring part 30 into the mounting hole.

[0035] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions or improvements within the spirit of the present invention are covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fastener with a guide ring that facilitates thrust reduction, used to connect a first mounted member and a second mounted member, the second mounted member having a mounting hole, characterized in that: The fastener with a guide ring that helps reduce thrust includes an anchoring portion comprising an elastic spindle body, a through groove on the elastic spindle body, and a guide ring on the through groove. The diameter of the maximum circumscribed circle of the elastic spindle body is larger than the diameter of the mounting hole. The elastic spindle body includes a connecting plate and two elastic portions respectively disposed on both sides of the connecting plate. The portion of the elastic portion connecting to the connecting plate forms a hard connection angle. An arc transition surface is provided at the maximum circumscribed circle diameter of the elastic spindle body. The arc transition surface includes two arc segments and a contact segment between the two arc segments. The arc segments and the contact segment smoothly and linearly transition into an arc with the same curvature. The guide ring includes a ring sleeved on the... The elastic spindle body has a ring and two connecting rods respectively connected between the inner sidewall of the ring and the through groove. The ring is provided with two clearance holes, both of which are elliptical in shape, that is, the two clearance holes can form an ellipse when they are together. The two clearance holes are offset along the major axis of the ellipse. The two clearance holes have a receiving part at the part corresponding to the hard connection angle. When the guide ring is inserted into the mounting hole, the abutting contact section is abutted by the second mounted part and retracts inward, while the arc-shaped section at the free end connected to the abutting contact section is raised. At the same time, the abutting contact section of the arc transition surface will abut against the inner sidewall of the clearance hole, so that the guide ring deflects and one end of the clearance hole deflects so that the receiving part avoids the hard connection angle.

2. The fastener with a guide ring as described in claim 1, which is beneficial for reducing thrust, is characterized in that: The elastic spindle body includes an axially distributed connecting plate, two elastic portions respectively disposed on both sides of the connecting plate, and two skirt portions respectively disposed at the ends of the elastic portions.

3. The fastener with a guide ring as described in claim 2, which is beneficial for reducing thrust, is characterized in that: The guide ring fastener that helps reduce thrust also includes a sealing portion connected to the anchoring portion, the sealing portion including a disc, one end of the skirt being connected to the elastic portion, and the other end being fixedly connected to the disc.

4. The fastener with a guide ring as described in claim 3, which is beneficial for reducing thrust, is characterized in that: The arc transition surface is located at the connection between the elastic part and the skirt, and the connection between the elastic part and the skirt is at the maximum outer diameter of the elastic spindle body.

5. The fastener with a guide ring as described in claim 2, which is beneficial for reducing thrust, is characterized in that: The connecting rod is spaced apart from the sidewall of the through groove so that the ring can deflect radially.

6. The fastener with a guide ring as described in claim 2, which is beneficial for reducing thrust, is characterized in that: The fastener further includes a snap-fit ​​portion, which includes a snap-fit ​​disc spaced apart from one side of the disc, and a connecting rod connecting the snap-fit ​​disc and the sealing portion.

7. The fastener with a guide ring as described in claim 1, which is beneficial for reducing thrust, is characterized in that: The intersection of the major and minor axes of the two clearance holes lies on the major axis of the ellipse and is spaced apart.

8. The fastener with a guide ring as described in claim 1, which is beneficial for reducing thrust, is characterized in that: In the free state, the diameter of the largest circumscribed circle formed by the free ends of the two elastic parts is greater than the diameter of the mounting hole.

9. The fastener with a guide ring as described in claim 1, which is beneficial for reducing thrust, is characterized in that: In the free state, the diameter of the largest circumscribed circle formed by the free ends of the two elastic parts is greater than the minor axis of the ellipse formed by the clearance hole and smaller than the major axis of the ellipse.

10. The fastener with a guide ring as described in claim 2, which is beneficial for reducing thrust, characterized in that: The through groove is provided on the side of the connecting plate.

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